Carr outlines possible second term agenda

Updated
November 08, 2012 09:44:00

The Foreign Minister Bob Carr expects Barack Obama's second term as president to include an ambitious foreign policy agenda, focusing on non-proliferation, climate change, Iran and a two-state solution in the Middle East. He says a key challenge will be dealing with the looming fiscal cliff.

TONY EASTLEY: The Foreign Minister Bob Carr is expecting the US president to pursue an ambitious foreign policy agenda in his second term.

Senator Carr spoke to Lexi Metherell.

BOB CARR: Congratulations to president Obama are in order of course, but I think congratulations to the American people. There is nothing like a drawn out bruising American presidential election contest. It's the greatest show on earth but it's a celebration of democracy and it's a system that trusts people to make the decision about who shall rule them.

It's a colossal achievement when you think about it and congratulations to all Americans are in order. Not the least of the virtues of this great democracy is the way the defeated side accepts the verdict and goes off and rebuilds and reconsiders.

LEXI METHERELL: What do you think that president Obama's foreign policy agenda will be in his second term?

BOB CARR: Well one observer said to me that he thinks the core beliefs of the president will come to the fore.

I believe, in climate change - an attempt to revive international talks to get action involving the developing world and the developed world on climate change.

Non-proliferation - that the first foreign policy matter on which young Barack Obama expressed a view was non-proliferation. This would suggest that he is going to focus tightly on Iran.

And I think the third one is very ambitious and that would be reviving an American-led agenda for a two state solution in the Middle East.

LEXI METHERELL: And of course a key issue for the US and the world is the looming fiscal cliff. With the House still dominated by Republicans, how difficult is it going to be for the president to deal with this issue?

BOB CARR: Not for nothing did the chairman of the joint chiefs describe the biggest threat to American security as being debt. And we've got to hope that there are enough people on both sides of politics.

We, I mean, America's friends around the world have got to hope there are enough people on both sides of American politics to reach across the aisles in the Senate and the House of Representatives to do a deal that makes adjustments to entitlement spending and adjustments to taxation to see that American can curb that deficit.

If America does that, then that's the deal that stands between it and banishing all talk of American decline.

LEXI METHERELL: Yesterday the Opposition Leader in New South Wales John Robertson moved to have Eric Roozendaal's ALP membership suspended.

Eric Roozendaal used to run the ALP in New South Wales. How embarrassing is this for the ALP?

BOB CARR: I think it's extremely unfortunate but I back John Robertson's judgement.

LEXI METHERELL: Do you think that there are other sitting members of the ALP or members of the ALP who will have their membership suspended?

BOB CARR: I'd leave that to the judgement of the state parliamentary leader. Having occupied that position myself, my instincts are to back the judgement of the leader of the State Opposition.